A new study conducted by the American Heart Association revealed that older women who consume more plant protein had a lower risk of premature death from all causes. Researchers also found that replacing red meat, eggs, or dairy products with nuts was associated with a decrease in the risk of death from all causes by up to 47%, depending on the type of protein consumed as a substitute for animal protein.
The researchers stated that plant proteins significantly reduced the chances of fatal cardiovascular diseases and dementia. The lead researcher, Dr. Wei Bao, said: "Our findings support the need to consider dietary protein sources in future dietary guidelines, as current dietary recommendations primarily focus on the total protein amount. Our results indicate that there may be different health effects related to various types of protein-rich foods."
Researchers explained that previous studies indicated a link between diets rich in red meat and cardiovascular diseases, but the data on specific types of proteins was limited and inconclusive. In contrast, the current study focused on data from more than 100,000 menopausal women aged 50 to 79, who participated in the Women's Health Initiative study, conducted from 1993 to 1998, and were followed by study organizers over the next two decades.
The participants completed questionnaires at the start of the study regarding their diets, including how often they consumed eggs, dairy products, poultry, red meat, and fish, and documented the amount of plant proteins they consumed, such as tofu, nuts, beans, and peas.
The researchers analyzed the quantity and type of protein consumed by the women during the study and then divided them into groups based on who consumed more or less of each protein. The study revealed that women who consumed a higher amount of plant protein had a 9% lower risk of death from all causes, a 12% lower risk of fatal cardiovascular diseases, and a 21% lower risk of death related to dementia. Additionally, higher consumption of processed red meat was associated with nearly a 20% increased risk of death from dementia.
Dr. Bao stated: "It is not clear in our study why the consumption of simple animal protein like eggs is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer-related death, which may be linked to how people cook and consume eggs."
